12 HOME LIFE ON AN OSTRICH FARM. 



picturesque and what few attempts at ornament have 

 been made are rather disfiguring than otherwise. On 

 a bare hill above the town there is a conspicuous 

 monument, the builders of which appear to have been 

 long undecided as to whether it should be a small 

 pyramid or large obelisk ; the result being an ugly 

 compromise between the two. Another work of art, 

 more nearly approaching the obelisk form, but equally 

 far from the Egyptian model both in its shape and in 

 the designs which decorate it, stands in the market- 

 place, in front of the town hall. This latter was by 

 far the best-looking building in Port Elizabeth, until, 

 a few years ago, its appearance was completely spoilt 

 by the addition of an ugly and ponderous clock-tower, 

 quite out of proportion to the rest of the structure, 

 which it seems threatening to crush with its over- 

 powering size and weight. The interior of the town 

 hall, however, compensates for its outward deficiencies ; 

 for it contains a most excellent public library, plenti- 

 fully supplied with books of all kinds, newspapers, 

 and magazines, in two comfortable and well-arranged 

 rooms. It would be well indeed if England would take 

 a lesson from the Cape Colony in this respect ; for in all 

 the smaller towns which we visited, i.e., Cradock, Graaff- 

 Reinet, Uitenhage, etc., we found good public libraries. 

 There is a good club in Port Elizabeth, and several 

 hotels, all of which we have tried at different times, 

 finding the Standard (Main Street), though small and 

 of unpretending exterior, "by far the most comfortable. 

 A little way out of the town there is a very good 



